With Facebook Live being made available to all profiles this year, creating a live-stream is as simple as pulling up the app and pressing a button. Brands looking to score big in the live video space, however, are going to have to get a little more creative. And with more creativity comes more complications.

The Game of Thrones TV phenomenon is not only gluing fans to their couches on Sunday nights, but is also creating a powerful online buzz. Between the large TV audiences, social media buzz, and passionate fans, Magnet Media saw a huge opportunity for Google Fiber TV.

As a first timer at SxSW I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I arrived in Austin. Surprisingly enough, I found a lot of very well-respected innovators in both the digital media and tech industries addressing the same concerns many brands and media companies are experiencing today.

At most panels I attended and conversations I had with peers, it seemed as if multi-platform content distribution was the overarching topic of discussion; More specifically, Snapchat was on everyone’s mind. The fact that there is a platform out there that is delivering 8 billion video views a day and is almost exclusively reaching generation z and y is game-changing for the digital media industry.

Television, video, film, content – whatever you want to call it – has become a major part of our cultural foundation. “We’re living in a golden age of content and technology. On demand, across screens, and interactive. So cool. Smiley face emoji”

Unfortunately I can’t quote anyone famous, like Malcolm Gladwell (@Gladwell), with that but it’s a statement I find hard to refute as I take a look at 2016.

16 months ago, a survey revealed that more than 3/4 of U.S. TV homes utilize a DVR, use video on demand, or subscribe to Netflix. I, like the people in this survey, use all of the above (and then some) to access my favorite content. And while we may be living in a “golden age” where the diversity of stories being told continues to broaden, I’m starting to believe that having all this new content is not as great as it seems.

Who’s the best person to tell your company’s story? It might be the CEO or a sales rep or a spokesperson, but often it’s a customer. Someone who loves what you’ve done for them and is willing to share the story can be a powerful asset. These case studies, or customer stories, or testimonials, are often the most compelling way to explain how well you serve your customers and meet their needs.

But the logistics of telling those stories can be tricky. How do you get the customer in front of a camera when the sales team owns the relationship and doesn’t want marketers getting in the way, or taking up the the client’s time, or asking it it would be OK for a video crew to invade the office for a few hours? Especially when we’re just a vendor, and the customer doesn’t owe us any favors.

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Our blog is an outlet to share what we've been up to lately, and to discuss content marketing through commentary, context, and thought leadership. Our hope is to create a space for true dialogue between those with a shared passion for storytelling.